Visionary Projects

Edmiston Jones’ experience is that a project without a vision inevitably flounders.

We need to have a common understanding of what a well-founded vision should look like for an organisation contemplating a construction project. Vision is a goal toward which someone, or an organisation, aspires. That is, something envisaged and tangible. As you know, the word can also mean ‘foresight’ where something is foreseen or imagined.

For an organisation embarking on a building project, it is easy to resort to the company mission however it is unlikely that a ‘motherhood’ statement will be sufficiently specific. Also, mission statements generally inspire and give direction to the employees of the company, rather than the customers. A project vision should have the end user front and centre from the start.

Edmiston Jones considers that a sound vision statement should be:

1. Succinct
We encourage clients to express their vision in a single sentence or perhaps, if absolutely necessary, two. It is easier to communicate and to remember when the inevitable distractions of any project come in to play. This is certainly a case where ‘less is more’.

2. Robust
A worthwhile vision should be reasonably independent of external circumstances. Our design process suggests that the vision should be considered quite separately to the project site. It should be sufficiently robust that it would still be an aspiration even if the site changed.

3. Inspiring
The project vision must be inspirational to engage and guide an organisation, and its separate departments, to the common cause. Something that captures the hearts of people as well as their minds – a goal within sight, but just a little out of reach.

Edmiston Jones Co-Design Workshops and Activities

Interrogating and reaffirming the vision at the outset of a project ensures all stakeholders have the same end in sight. Edmiston Jones has an evolved co-design process that assists organisations and institutions to articulate their vision ensuring that the end result will be an extraordinary built environment, inspiring and enhancing lives.